The journey by carriage was still far from over.
Spending several days traveling was tiring, and having nothing to do could get boring, but when you were with someone, even idle time became enjoyable. That was part of what made traveling fun.
「Master～. Here, ah～n.」
「Ah～n. Mmm…… It’s sweet.」
「Ufufu. I found some really good cherins. They are delicious, aren’t they? Ham.」
Wendy put one half of the split cherin, in other words, cherry, into her mouth and showed a happy smile.
It really was a high-quality, delicious cherry.
First came an intense sweetness, followed by a clean, light acidity, and finally a pleasant sweet-and-sour aftertaste that lingered in the mouth. The seed was also extremely small, so it was not bothersome at all.
「It’s sweet and tasty, but…… am I not being really bad-mannered?」
「We are on break, so it should be fine, right? If Shiro saw this she might copy it and that would be bad, but it looks cute, like feeding a baby bird.」
Right now I was lying with my head on Wendy’s lap pillow while she fed me cherries……
My manners were terrible, but I could not lift my head from Wendy’s lap, and when she offered me one with an “ah～n”, there was no way I could refuse. It could not be helped.
Well, it was not a formal meal, and since we were on break, I would ask her to overlook it.
「Did you know, Master? It is said that if two people eat the two cherries from one stem, one by one, they will fall in love with each other.」
「Heh. What happens if they already like each other?」
「In that case…… they will fall even more in love.」
As she said that, she gently stroked my cheek, so I reached out and placed my hand on Wendy’s cheek as well.
Wendy closed her eyes lovingly, savoring the warmth of my hand.
「Traveling is nice, isn’t it…… There is no daily work, so I get to spend more time like this with Master, and it makes me happy.」
「Yeah…… I would love to live like this all the time, but there are things at home that I have to take care of no matter what……」
「That is also for the sake of a comfortable life, after all.」
「I’m making you go through so much trouble.」
「It is not trouble or hardship at all. Because Master rewards me like this……」
Then, she naturally drew my fingers toward her lips, touching them gently with her mouth while keeping her eyes closed and smiling.
Ah, what is this adorable girl……
She is so precious……
「……You two really do this a lot, don’t you?」
「Yes?」
「Hmm? What do you mean?」
「You’re not even aware!? Eeeh…… So this is just normal for you two?」
「Yes, that is right. We do not get many opportunities lately, but whenever we are alone like this, we end up doing a lot of skinship.」
Right now, the only ones in the cargo area were me, Wendy, and Letty.
Chris and Mizera were chatting while driving the carriage, Shiro was on top of the canopy, and the others were riding alongside as escorts.
「Skinship…… You call openly doing a lap pillow and flirting ‘skinship’?」
「I think if Letty-san did the same for Hayato-san, he would be very happy.」
「Yeah. A lap pillow from someone you like feels special! Doing it the other way around is nice too!」
Being done to you naturally feels good, but doing it yourself is not bad either.
The weight and warmth against your thighs feel pleasant, and the feeling of cherishing the other person just keeps growing!
It also makes me want to tease her a little from time to time, but when I go too far, she puffs out her cheeks cutely in anger, and that is also unbearably adorable!
「……That’s impossible for me. It doesn’t suit my character. If I suddenly did something like that, Hayato would probably get surprised and ask if I have a fever.」
「Then you just don’t back down. Say something like Letty would, 『Hmph. I’m only doing it because I want to, so you just stay quiet!』 and he would obediently accept the lap pillow and fall straight into bliss.」
「Was that supposed to be an impression of me!? It doesn’t sound like me at all!」
Eeeh…… Well, the voice might not match, but I thought it captured the tsundere vibe pretty well.
Girls are complicated.
「What a waste…… Not knowing this bliss……. Do you not want to try it? Giving Hayato-san a lap pillow.」
「I said…… It doesn’t suit me……」
「That is not an answer. I am asking whether you want to do it or not.」
Oh? I can feel Wendy’s seriousness here.
There must be something she cannot yield on as a woman.
All right. As someone who can read the room, I will stay quiet.
This is probably something I would not understand anyway, so I will stay silent while Wendy strokes my head.
「Uuu, you’re really pressing me…… Well, I do want to try it, but……」
「Then let us do it. It is that simple. Once Letty-san knows this happiness, you will want to do it whenever we are not in public. As a fellow woman and friend, I want you to share in this happiness too.」
I see, I see.
I also want Hayato to experience this happiness, so I strongly agree with Wendy’s feelings.
You’re going to get hooked, you know? Super hooked? You’ll become addicted?
「I’m happy you feel that way, but…… You make it sound so simple…… Um…… There is also the embarrassment, you know.」
「Doing something that makes the person you love happy. What is embarrassing about that? Besides, you cannot always do it whenever you want.」
Nnn…… Because the two of them were once captives, their words carry a lot of weight.
After that incident, I also started feeling even more happiness whenever I hugged or touched them.
「That may be true…… But is it really that good that you have to push so hard……?」
「Of course it is! A lap pillow is not just placing your head on someone’s knees! Feeling the weight and warmth on your lap, seeing Master’s happy face from an unusual angle you do not usually see! The occasional healed and relaxed expression! The tenderness of having such an important part of the body entrusted to you! All of it fills you with love!」
She spoke with passion.
Wendy clenched her fist as she explained, causing my head to roll off her lap, but she immediately and gently placed it back. I was completely at her mercy.
「I-Is that so. It is that wonderful…… I have done it before, but…… I should have paid more attention to all those feelings.」
「Exactly! The greatest happiness often hides in the small, everyday things!」
「I see…… It is true that even ordinary things can make me happy…… Before, when Hayato and I were walking in town, he naturally switched places with me so I would not walk on the carriage side of the road, and that made my heart skip a beat……」
「That is nice…… Those small acts of consideration and kindness are what make you happy, right…… I understand!」
「Yes…… Um, could I ask you a little more about skinship?」
「I still have plenty I want to talk about, so of course I do not mind!」
「Right. Then…… um……」
「Hmm?」
Ah, I see what this is.
Yes, yes. Understood.
It is girls’ talk, after all.
There are things that are hard to talk about when a man is present.
「I am sorry, Master……」
「It is fine, it is fine. Take your time and talk as much as you want.」
I lifted my head from Wendy’s lap and sat up. The two of them had moved to the edge of the carriage.
Of course, I did not eavesdrop…… but still…… I felt a little left out.
I was all alone now……
「Milord.」
「Lord. The carriage will stop for a moment.」
「Hmm? Oh. Did something happen?」
「There seem to be monsters up ahead. They are still quite far from Aina-san and the others, though.」
「Hmm. I want to see Chris’s technique. Lord, want to watch too?」
「Chris’s technique, huh. Yeah, why not. Since we have the chance.」
If I remember correctly, Chris started using a bow, right?
After her eyes were healed with the spirit medicine, her condition improved a lot. According to Mii, she can now hit the mark a hundred times out of a hundred, even in complete darkness.
Since it is a good opportunity, I might as well watch.
……Besides, I was feeling lonely anyway!
「Eh? Onii-san is coming too?」
「Yeah. Can I watch as well?」
「I do not mind, but…… please do not expect too much, okay?」
As she spoke, Chris, still seated on the driver’s platform, took out a bow and quiver from the bag at her waist.
The bag seemed to be a magic bag. The bow was a rather large longbow.
For a moment I wondered if Chris could even draw it, but that worry was unnecessary. She pulled the bow with ease…… Wait, four arrows?
It looked like she would shoot them one at a time, but was she planning to rapid-fire?
「……Here I go.」
Even so, what exactly is she aiming at?
Hmm……? Huh? I can see some very small figures that look like monsters far away…… No way, is she targeting those?
……It really was those.
The arrows Chris released flew in a gentle arc, and not a single one missed. The monsters turned to dust.
……Huh? Monsters turn to dust when their magic stones are destroyed, right? Which means…… she just shot through the magic stones?
Eh? All four at the same time!?
「I cannot see very well…… What happened?」
「All four were blown away at once……」
「Eeeh!? All together!?」
「Hmm. Amazing.」
「Thank you. I am glad they all hit.」
「The monsters did not even notice. A splendid display of skill from directly above.」
The fact that Shiro is genuinely praising her means it really is impressive……
Well, just from watching I can tell, but it really drives home how amazing it was.
Even Mizera is surprised, her eyes wide open and her mouth slightly agape.
「Chris…… You really are incredible.」
「Yeah…… That was seriously amazing……」
「All of this is thanks to onii-san. Because my eyes were healed with the spirit medicine, I can now see the position of magic stones. That is also how I learned the skill called 『True Eye That Sees Through Darkness (Blind Truth)』.」
Ooh……
Come to think of it, she did say her condition improved a lot after her eyes were healed.
「When I use the skill 『True Eye That Sees Through Darkness (Blind Truth)』, I can see extremely well. I can also understand their movement patterns a little, so it is quite easy to shoot them down.」
「Still, the bow technique itself is the result of Chris’s own effort, right? You really are amazing.」
「N-No, that is not…… I am still nowhere near Letty-san and the others……」
Yeah, yeah. Both Mizera and Shiro nodded in agreement, which made Chris embarrassed. She hid her face behind her bow and turned away.
「Hmm. No matter how good your eyes are, it means nothing if you cannot hit the target. You have excellent skill.」
「……Being praised by Shiro-san really gives me confidence. Thank you too, onii-san!」
「At this rate…… I really cannot keep up anymore……」
Well, there was already a level difference from the start.
The Chris who once looked like a fragile girl who needed protection has grown so much…… onii-san feels like crying.
「……From now on, call her with -san.」
「Hmm? Letty? Are you done talking?」
「Eh…… Yes, well……」
Letty, who had come to tease me, suddenly turned bright red when I spoke to her…… Just what exactly did Wendy talk to her about?
Even if you try to cover it up with a smile, it is not going to work, you know? How far did you go!?
「Letty-san? Your face is completely red……」
「I am fine. I am fine…… Chris. But we will talk later. I cannot do it alone…… It is still embarrassing with two people, but it is better than doing it by myself……」
「Yes, that is true. If it is the two of us…… I think Hayato-san will be even happier. I will also do it again with Mizera――」
「I get it already…… You do not have to say any more…… It is my fault for listening! Aah, seriously, a lap pillow is just skinship, right!? If it is only that much, I feel like I can do it as many times as I want……!」
「Um…… I do not really understand, but I got it. If it will make Hayato-sama happy, I will do my best!」
……Later, during dinner.
Before making dinner, Chris seemed to have heard something from Letty, because she unusually burned the food and made several mistakes……
Why did she turn red every time she looked at me, Wendy, or Mizera……?
And why did she say to Mizera, 「Mizera…… You are way more amazing than me……」? Mizera also had a confused look on her face.
Everyone else found it strange too, but Wendy alone kept smiling and seemed to be in an unusually good mood……
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